


Almost-First Meeting

by wardenmages



Series: Pariahs [1]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Brief Mention of Suicide, M/M, pre-romance fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 16:20:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7060144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wardenmages/pseuds/wardenmages
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dorian meets Connor for the second - first- time. They meet for real, in a timeline they'll both remember this time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Almost-First Meeting

Technically, their first meeting never happened. Dorian never heard him screaming as he died. He never steered the Herald down the hall away from that room, Vivienne never called him brave, and the Herald never mumbled some Dalish mourning prayer to herself.

Their real first meeting - the one that Connor actually knew about in the  _ real _ timeline - wasn’t until the Inquisition settled into Skyhold. Dorian was combing the shelves in the library for  _ anything _ not directly from the Chantry, when Connor approached him.

“Dorian?”

“Yes?”

He stood next to Dorian, still at a respectful distance, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Sister Leliana said I could find you here. I wanted to thank you for your help in Redcliffe.”

Ah. “I was happy to help.”

“My family is grateful as well, regardless of your reasons for being there.”

“You are the arl’s nephew, correct?” he asked. The younger man sighed and leaned away just enough for Dorian to notice.

“That’s me,” Connor said, his tone sharp.

“I only know that much because Lavellan was concerned for you,” Dorian explained. “Not to worry. I don’t plan on bringing up old stories.”

His posture relaxed again and he looked at Dorian with a smile. “I apologize. I’m used to having to defend myself.”

“Apology accepted. I understand  _ that _ feeling.”

Neither of them spoke for a long moment, and Dorian pretended to continue skimming the book titles as he took glances at Connor. Even as nobility, he was so  _ incredibly  _ Fereldan, from the plainly simple clothing to the ease with which he spoke his mind. Most of the Inquisition outside of Lavellan’s friends ignored Dorian when they weren’t outright insulting him, but here Connor was,  _ thanking him. _

Connor was the one to break the silence. “I read some of the report on what happened, in Redcliffe,” he started slowly. “So, time magic?”

“It was entirely theoretical research.” He laughed. “Until recently, obviously.”

“Because of the Breach, right?”

“We think so.”

“I studied the Fade in the Circle, and the Veil. I intended on leaving to study in Tevinter, before... Before,” Connor said.

Tevinter would have eaten him alive, Dorian thought. He didn’t say that. “I am glad you did not, no offense. My countrymen are not as welcoming as yours.”

Connor laughed. “Fereldans are nothing if not honest,” he shot back.

“I suppose  _ honest _ is a word for it,” he sighed dramatically.

“The nobility is even worse. I’m sure we’ll see some of the banns come groveling at the Inquisitor soon enough.”

There was another brief silence; this time, Dorian broke it.

“I can pass along my notes, if you’d like. Maker knows  _ someone _ should be able to take some good out of them,” he murmured.

“From what I read, those notes, and  _ you _ , saved the whole bloody world.”

“I...” The words all flew out of his mind and he found himself at a loss.

Connor continued quietly, “I won’t ask what happened to me in that future; I have a pretty good idea of what it was, and I don’t want the details. But I do know that whatever you did saved me, too, and I need you to know that I am thankful.”

“Of course,” he said softly. “I was happy to save you. Your family -  _ you _ \- deserved better.”

Connor smiled again, and Dorian couldn’t help the smile on his own lips. “I’ll leave you be. Thank you, again.”

He turned back to the stairs leading out of the library, and Dorian turned back to the books, focusing hard to maintaining the indifferent composure he had been trying to hard to affect. He pulled down a random book - some trite Chantry piece on Rivain, or something - and hid his smile behind the pages.

_ Maker’s breath _ , he was already smitten.

**Author's Note:**

> I saw that it's alternative pairing appreciation week, so, here. I'm going to try putting up something for every day, for real this time!
> 
> I also have a tumblr! My url is connorguerrin.


End file.
